Sport and Recreation Minister Rita Saffioti says WA ‘stands ready’ to host State of Origin spectacle

Rita Saffioti has remained tight-lipped on the details of a proposal put forward by the AFL for a State of Origin match between WA and Victoria next year but says the State “stands ready” to host the game.

As revealed by The Sunday Times, the State Government is understood to have received a detailed proposal from the AFL last month for a game to be played at Optus Stadium in February.

Asked on Sunday about the plan, Ms Saffioti, the Minister for Sport and Recreation, said there had been “a lot of ongoing discussions” but would not “go into detail about what’s been proposed”.

“But there has been a proposal put forward and we are having a look at it,” she said. “But as I said, it’s really going to be depending, it’s an informal proposal, on the AFL clubs and the AFL ultimately agreeing to it.”

Ms Saffioti said the State Government was working “ really hard” to make sure WA is the host State.

She again pointed to the success of the Indigenous All-Stars v Dockers exhibition clash in February as proof there would be interest in reviving State of Origin.

“We are really excited by the prospect and we’ve engaged very actively and proactively on this,” she said.

“As I said, ultimately it’s a decision for the AFL and the clubs but WA has put its hand up saying that if there’s a State of Origin, we want it in WA.

“We believe it would be an incredible game and many, many West Australians remember going and watching some of those incredible State of Origin clashes at Subi (Subiaco) and the WACA and the time.

“So we think bringing back the State of Origin and having it in WA would be a great thing. I think Western Australia, we have the venue, and we have the spectators that are very keen to turn up.

“We’ve demonstrated that West Australians love these events, love these iconic games, and we stand very ready to be hosting a State of Origin in football.”

Ms Saffioti would not be drawn when asked if it would form part of WA’s pitch to “pinch” the Gather Round off South Australia, saying “that’s, I suppose, a discussion for another day”.

The first State of Origin match was in 1977 between Victoria and WA, with the Victorians winning a first game by 63 points. Later that same year the boys from the west got their revenge with a 94-point win.

The WA versus Victoria games were legendary, with the late Ted Whitten’s “Stuck it right up em, that’s what you did. You stuck it right up em” whenever Victoria beat WA becoming part of footy folklore.

With the WA Government and AFL backing a return of the match, the last remaining hurdle appears to be convincing current coaches and sides, as well as the AFL Players Association, to agree on the Perth match.

The sticking point has mainly been around timing.

At a Captains Day at the MCG earlier this year, Geelong superstar Patrick Dangerfield said players were in favour of State of Origin but the timing of the match was crucial.

Already, it has been speculated that Carlton’s Patrick Cripps would most likely captain a WA State of Origin side, with Max Gawn, Patrick Dangerfield and Marcus Bontempelli all in the mix to lead Victoria’s side.

One of the exciting prospects could be the sight of West Coast’s Harley Reid potentially playing in a Victorian jumper matched up against WA’s Chad Warner, from the Sydney Swans.

“We understand, and not directly but indirectly, that many of the players are really keen to be playing for WA, in particular those players who have moved over east and are playing for Victorian and other state-based clubs,” Ms Saffioti said.

“They are keen to be able to pull on the yellow and black jersey, the Western Australian jumper, because of their experience of growing up watching incredible State of Origin games.”